Investigators later determined the crash was caused by “spatial disorientation,” or the crew’s failure to sense the plane’s location in relationship to the ground.

“Clearly, the crash which took the young lives of Captain Hall, Captain Whitlock, Lt. Wilkens and Airman Scholten far too soon was an inflection point in 2012,” said Col. Jim Slife, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt. “It was among the saddest days of the year.

“However we honor their memories by focusing on our mission and protecting the freedom they died defending.”

Five days later, Army Sgt. Joshua Born, 25, of Niceville, was killed during violent protests of the military’s burnings of Qurans.

His mother, Beth Croft of Fort Walton Beach, said the family continues to struggle 10 months after his death.

“We’re just making it,” she said. “It’s a day-by-day thing.”

Born’s unit remains deployed, but Croft has been in contact with some soldiers who worked with Josh.

Their reflections on her son have helped her. They have told her that Josh had integrity, loyalty, always stood by what was right and could be counted on to do what he was asked to do. But Josh was also the comedian who liked to joke and make people laugh.

“Joyful and happy — that’s how I would like for him to be remembered,” she said.

Just two days after Born’s death, Air Force Lt. Col. John Darin Loftis was shot at his desk inside the heavily guarded Interior Ministry in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

Before deploying, Loftis had been assigned to the Air Force Special Operations School, Air Force Special Operations Training Center at Hurlburt. Base officials said last week that a large auditorium at the center will be named after him.

“I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when I say the Air Force Special Operations Training Center sorely misses Lt. Col. John Darin Loftis,” said Col. William Anderson, commander of the training center. “His knowledge of the Afghan culture and his tireless work for the people of Afghanistan made him an irreplaceable asset to the Air Force.”

On April 25, Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Britton-Mihalo, an Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldier, was killed by machine gun fire in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. James Brownlee, the public affairs officer with the Special Forces, said Britton-Mihalo was the “cutting edge” of an elite group.

“When we think of heroes, Sgt. Britton-Mihalo was the clear definition of what a hero was,” he said.

Brownlee added that Britton-Mihalo was the “life of the party” and someone his friends could count on. His wife, Sgt. Jesse Britton, is also with the 7th Special Forces Group.

“Jesse, she loved him to death,” Brownlee said. “When you look back at the year in review, the world’s a darker place without him.”

But the local losses were not over.

On Oct. 11, a young airman with ties to all of the local bases was killed during a training accident in Pensacola Bay. Maj. Garrett Knowlan, a 32-year-old married father of two young children, was struck by a boat during a water survival course.

He recently had been assigned to the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base.

“All of Team Eglin continues to carry the Knowlan family in our thoughts and prayers, particularly at the holiday season,” said Andy Bourland, director of public affairs at Eglin.

Investigators later determined the crash was caused by “spatial disorientation,” or the crew’s failure to sense the plane’s location in relationship to the ground.

“Clearly, the crash which took the young lives of Captain Hall, Captain Whitlock, Lt. Wilkens and Airman Scholten far too soon was an inflection point in 2012,” said Col. Jim Slife, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt. “It was among the saddest days of the year.

“However we honor their memories by focusing on our mission and protecting the freedom they died defending.”

Five days later, Army Sgt. Joshua Born, 25, of Niceville, was killed during violent protests of the military’s burnings of Qurans.

His mother, Beth Croft of Fort Walton Beach, said the family continues to struggle 10 months after his death.

“We’re just making it,” she said. “It’s a day-by-day thing.”

Born’s unit remains deployed, but Croft has been in contact with some soldiers who worked with Josh.

Their reflections on her son have helped her. They have told her that Josh had integrity, loyalty, always stood by what was right and could be counted on to do what he was asked to do. But Josh was also the comedian who liked to joke and make people laugh.

“Joyful and happy — that’s how I would like for him to be remembered,” she said.

Just two days after Born’s death, Air Force Lt. Col. John Darin Loftis was shot at his desk inside the heavily guarded Interior Ministry in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

Before deploying, Loftis had been assigned to the Air Force Special Operations School, Air Force Special Operations Training Center at Hurlburt. Base officials said last week that a large auditorium at the center will be named after him.

“I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when I say the Air Force Special Operations Training Center sorely misses Lt. Col. John Darin Loftis,” said Col. William Anderson, commander of the training center. “His knowledge of the Afghan culture and his tireless work for the people of Afghanistan made him an irreplaceable asset to the Air Force.”

On April 25, Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Britton-Mihalo, an Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldier, was killed by machine gun fire in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. James Brownlee, the public affairs officer with the Special Forces, said Britton-Mihalo was the “cutting edge” of an elite group.

“When we think of heroes, Sgt. Britton-Mihalo was the clear definition of what a hero was,” he said.

Brownlee added that Britton-Mihalo was the “life of the party” and someone his friends could count on. His wife, Sgt. Jesse Britton, is also with the 7th Special Forces Group.

“Jesse, she loved him to death,” Brownlee said. “When you look back at the year in review, the world’s a darker place without him.”

But the local losses were not over.

On Oct. 11, a young airman with ties to all of the local bases was killed during a training accident in Pensacola Bay. Maj. Garrett Knowlan, a 32-year-old married father of two young children, was struck by a boat during a water survival course.

He recently had been assigned to the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base.

“All of Team Eglin continues to carry the Knowlan family in our thoughts and prayers, particularly at the holiday season,” said Andy Bourland, director of public affairs at Eglin.